Czar Gregovivk Part 3

I keep my eyes on Adrien as he rises along with the other advisors. Jonathan's face is starting to turn red, his mouth clenched, fists tight, and his angry gaze fixed on Baby. I look at his face, confused about what is causing this reaction in him.

“But she has.” Baby steps aside, distancing herself from me while I hear the murmurs of the advisors.

I turn instantly, noticing that they’re not looking at me or Baby. Her perfume reaches my nostrils even before my eyes find her. I breathe deeply, as if fire were coursing through my lungs, and I see her hunched forward on the ground, just as she did in her apartment, with her arms stretched out in front, one hand atop the other, a perfect living replica of the small statue—the submissive one I showed her in my office during her second visit to Sodoma. Mabel silences everyone, showing them exactly what I was trying to hide: a perfect alpha submissive, silent and surrendered, with open hands, waiting for her master.

“What have you done, Baby?!” I snarl angrily, turning my face toward her.

“I needed to find a way to capture everyone’s attention at once,” she speaks hurriedly, taking a step back from me. “Nothing works better than a submissive to silence a room full of masters. And I think it worked!” she says, biting the corner of her mouth, glancing at the others.

My head moves as I watch them become more focused on Mabel, kneeling on the ground in a gesture of surrender.

“Haven't we seen this same scene a few years back?” Hu Li walks slowly toward Mabel, not taking his eyes off her. “An alpha submissive?”

“Don’t you dare, Hu Li, unless you want to lose your hand!” I say angrily, stepping toward him, positioning myself between him and her as his arm extends with the intention of touching Mabel.

“What have you been doing, Czar?” He tilts his head to the side, trying to see her.

“This is forbidden!” one of the elder advisors speaks nervously, looking at Oliver.

The murmur of conversations increases, with everyone growing anxious, their eyes fixed on her.

“Get up, child!” The loud command silences everyone and makes me close my eyes as I recognize Oliver's voice.

I’m already standing in front of her, keeping her out of his sight, my hand moving behind my back, facing him.

“Bring her to me, Czar!” He stretches his hand and calls for her.

“NO!” I snarl angrily, glaring at him and shaking my head. “Baby, get her out of here, now!”

Oliver narrows his gaze as if doubting I will keep him away from her.

“Are you challenging my order, Czar...?”

“I’m saying I won’t let you get close to her!” I pull my gun from my waistband, gripping it in my fingers, keeping my hand still at my side. “Before you even think about giving an order to your security, you and he will already be dead, Oliver.”

I turn my face to Ramsés and gesture with my head for him to take her out of the hall. But I see him stop, looking lost behind me.

“My name is Mabel Shot, and I came to give my testimony.”

I hear Mabel’s words come out softly but audibly for everyone to hear.

I turn and look at her, lost, seeing her with her back straightened now, hands resting on her knees, looking at the floor.

“She’s not my witness; I refuse to let her speak!” I look at Adrien and shake my head.

“Do you know why you’re here, child?” Adrien asks her, slowly walking toward us, stopping in front of me. “Step aside, Czar, I’m not a threat to her.”

“I know you’re angry, but trust me… Let her speak!” Baby murmurs at my side, touching my shoulder with her trembling fingers.

I turn my face and look at her, seeing her flushed face as she shakes her head back and forth. I grip the gun tighter, stepping aside to allow him to see her. I lift my face, meeting Morgana’s gaze, who is still standing, her eyes fixed on Mabel, growing red as if she might cry. Kaiser’s face remains serious, his gaze frozen on her. Adrien extends his hand and stops in front of Mabel. I see her slowly take his fingers as he helps her up, her head still bowed, looking at the floor.

“You’re safe here; no one will harm you.” Adrien releases her fingers and looks at her. “You don’t need to be afraid; just tell the truth. Gregovivk is being accused of hurting you, Mabel; is that true?” Adrien's tone is calm as he asks her.

“Yes.” I hear the murmur escape her lips, her fingers squeezing tightly by her sides.

“Mabel...” I whisper, lost, not understanding why she’s confirming this.

“Confirm that he touched you without your permission?” Adrien turns his face to me, glaring with hatred.

“Yes.” Mabel shrinks her shoulders and squeezes her fingers tighter against her dress. “He raped me, beat me for hours, torturing me until I wished to be dead, only to return and repeatedly rape me, repeating it all like an endless cycle.”

I see Santana rise with fury, knocking his chair backward, looking at her and then at me.

“No, no, Mabel...” Baby grips my arm as I try to step forward to get closer to her.

“Czar, wait!” Baby says nervously, pulling the gun from my hand.

“He tied me up, tortured me while marking my body, cutting me with a knife, just another damned worm who destroyed my life.” Her head lifts, and she has red eyes, tears streaking her face. Mabel lifts her shirt to the height of her breast, exposing her scar for all to see as she keeps her gaze fixed on Adrien. “But it wasn’t Mr. Czar who did this to me.”

She turns her face toward me, a broken smile on her trembling lips, while she fights back tears.

“But you just confirmed it was Gregovivk!” Morgana stands up, looking at Mabel’s belly, her mouth closing in anger as she stares at the scar.

Mabel nods positively, averting her eyes from mine, murmuring an “I’m sorry” with her lips to me before turning her face back to Morgana.

“Who did this to you?” Morgana steps forward, gazing at Mabel’s face. “Who hurt you, my child...?”

Her voice falters as she looks into Mabel’s eyes, biting her mouth and holding back tears.

“Gregovivk.” She raises her finger and points behind Morgana. “Kaiser Gregovivk.”

My eyes lock onto Kaiser immediately, watching him slowly back away, stepping back.

“You’re crazy; I’ve never seen you in my life, girl!” he says seriously, shaking his head. “This is a lie from Czar with this woman, to escape your judgment.”

“You once asked me to say your name, and I refused. You assured me that I belonged to you. But now listen to my voice say, Nate.”

Not the false name you introduced to me but your real one.” She lowers her shirt, her mouth clenching, tears streaming down her face. “My pain belongs to Kaiser Gregovivk! KAISER GREGOVIVK RAPED ME, BEAT ME, AND TORTURED ME!”